Jem45
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,021
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Feb 29, 2020 21:51:58 GMT
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I said a very similar thing to RetroWarwick here over a few beers in Spa a couple of years ago. Ah, but did he agree with you? Apart from my Isuzu in Malaysia, the most modern car I had previously was a 2.5 Subaru Legacy Estate, like this... I'd have another in a heartbeat. Four wheel drive (handy over the Staffordshire Moors) quick (very), reliable and even, if you were gentle, relatively frugal. Not sure if 2001 would get you one though. Only owned it for three months before I was offered a job in Singapore. Sadly, exporting wasn't an option. I'm guessing that they'd happily come in budget. Put it this way, I nipped out the house on a Saturday morning to buy a paper and 5lbs spuds, as instructed, and came back with all the above. I bought one of these today - '98 plate. I'm blaming you, George.
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Carbs 'n chrome
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Feb 29, 2020 23:32:19 GMT
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I bought one of these today - '98 plate. I'm blaming you, George. I'll take that blame and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did mine!
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Phil H
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,448
Club RR Member Number: 133
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Anything with “T5” after the model..and made in Sweden? NTDWM but they don't appear in Manual very often:
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MrSpeedy
East Midlands
www.vintagediesels.co.uk
Posts: 4,786
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I've got a Y reg MG ZT-T 190 manual with 12 months MOT you could have for a bag
Surprisingly brisk, makes a great noise and BMW build quality
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norm75
Part of things
Posts: 658
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One of the best cars I've had happened to be the cheapest car that I've had, a 1998 phase 1 Volvo v40 t4. £800 bagged me a near mint example with a years ticket, top of the range so fully loaded and quite rapid for a very unassuming looking car. Had it for over 3 years and it cost me very little in maintenance.
Not as quick as my other car at lower speeds, but anything over 3 figure speeds it felt quicker, the other car being an Impreza wrx. It is basically a t5 engine with a cylinder lopped off, but 200 brake in a lighter car than an 850/v70 means it is actually faster accelerating, but around 5 or so mph slower top speed.
Or as mentioned a legacy estate (the shape pictured above is 2003 on though) having owned our Impreza for 12 trouble free years I rate subarus. Pre 2001 and 3k budget might get you a GTB estate if you are lucky, which is a near 300bhp twin turbo missile.
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Mar 13, 2020 10:26:06 GMT
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. . . and BMW build quality You were selling it well before you pointed that out!
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Mar 13, 2020 15:29:03 GMT
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One of the best cars I've had happened to be the cheapest car that I've had, a 1998 phase 1 Volvo v40 t4. £800 bagged me a near mint example with a years ticket, top of the range so fully loaded and quite rapid for a very unassuming looking car. Had it for over 3 years and it cost me very little in maintenance. Not as quick as my other car at lower speeds, but anything over 3 figure speeds it felt quicker, the other car being an Impreza wrx. It is basically a t5 engine with a cylinder lopped off, but 200 brake in a lighter car than an 850/v70 means it is actually faster accelerating, but around 5 or so mph slower top speed. Or as mentioned a legacy estate (the shape pictured above is 2003 on though) having owned our Impreza for 12 trouble free years I rate subarus. Pre 2001 and 3k budget might get you a GTB estate if you are lucky, which is a near 300bhp twin turbo missile. Those early V40s are solid old cars and from what I can see looked down on due to the Mitsubishi links. I spent a while looking for a Sport spec saloon but couldn't find the right one.
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Jem45
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,021
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Mar 13, 2020 16:14:03 GMT
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One of the best cars I've had happened to be the cheapest car that I've had, a 1998 phase 1 Volvo v40 t4. £800 bagged me a near mint example with a years ticket, top of the range so fully loaded and quite rapid for a very unassuming looking car. Had it for over 3 years and it cost me very little in maintenance. Not as quick as my other car at lower speeds, but anything over 3 figure speeds it felt quicker, the other car being an Impreza wrx. It is basically a t5 engine with a cylinder lopped off, but 200 brake in a lighter car than an 850/v70 means it is actually faster accelerating, but around 5 or so mph slower top speed. Or as mentioned a legacy estate (the shape pictured above is 2003 on though) having owned our Impreza for 12 trouble free years I rate subarus. Pre 2001 and 3k budget might get you a GTB estate if you are lucky, which is a near 300bhp twin turbo missile. Those early V40s are solid old cars and from what I can see looked down on due to the Mitsubishi links. I spent a while looking for a Sport spec saloon but couldn't find the right one. I had the 1.9D version in sport trim for a while and it was very competent and a likeable car. I hear a £250 remap from Celtic Tuning gets this engine to 180 bhp (quite a hike) and a guy over on VOC reckons that point to point, this remap made his diesel faster than his T4. He kept the T4 and sold the diesel tho
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Carbs 'n chrome
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norm75
Part of things
Posts: 658
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Mar 13, 2020 17:10:36 GMT
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Yeh the early phase 1 t4's were forged engines I believe and bullet proof. There are a few knocking around putting out crazy horsepower around 6 or 700bhp they are so strong.
Putting power down in the wet isn't a strong point though even with a mere 200 brake.
And the links to the Mitsubishi, there was a guy on Volvo forum that was going to transplant Mitsubishi Evo running gear as the floor pan is very similar but I don't think anything came of it
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Last Edit: Mar 13, 2020 17:12:08 GMT by norm75
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Mar 13, 2020 18:50:11 GMT
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Would always nominate the T5 Volvo. My daily is a 2009 V70 2.5T owned all versions before that in the 850,Ph1 & Ph2 in 5 cylinder turbo charged loveliness. Refined enough for daily use and load carrying abuse,but able to roll its sleeves up and pick a fight with most more modern motors. Sure FWD does mean torque steer and understeer but for £3k its as versatile as you'll find!
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2014 - Audi A6 Avant 3.0Tdi Quattro 1958 - Chevrolet Apache Panel Truck 1959 - Plymouth Custom Suburban 1952 - Chevrolet 2dr Hardtop 1985 - Ford Econoline E350 Quadravan 2009 - Ovlov V70 2.5T 1970 - Cortina Mk2 Estate 2007 - Fiat Ducato LWB 120Multijet 2014 - Honda Civic 2.2 CTDi ES
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,199
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Mar 13, 2020 23:12:59 GMT
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One of the best cars I've had happened to be the cheapest car that I've had, a 1998 phase 1 Volvo v40 t4. £800 bagged me a near mint example with a years ticket, top of the range so fully loaded and quite rapid for a very unassuming looking car. Had it for over 3 years and it cost me very little in maintenance. Not as quick as my other car at lower speeds, but anything over 3 figure speeds it felt quicker, the other car being an Impreza wrx. It is basically a t5 engine with a cylinder lopped off, but 200 brake in a lighter car than an 850/v70 means it is actually faster accelerating, but around 5 or so mph slower top speed. Or as mentioned a legacy estate (the shape pictured above is 2003 on though) having owned our Impreza for 12 trouble free years I rate subarus. Pre 2001 and 3k budget might get you a GTB estate if you are lucky, which is a near 300bhp twin turbo missile. Those early V40s are solid old cars and from what I can see looked down on due to the Mitsubishi links. I spent a while looking for a Sport spec saloon but couldn't find the right one. They're looked down on as they are pretty boring chassis. A competent and capable car, but lifeless. Before I am accused off going off reviews, I learned to drive in one (alongside a Focus 1.4, Ka, an MGB and an XJ40), and then drove on semi-full time when my dad had a company car. The first one was an X-Reg Blue and Cream leather 1.8 SE (X722 KMJ, are you still alive?), the second a 2.0 SE, Green and Cream. The 1.8 was a little gutless, the 2.0 was a little spicier and added some fun. The only car I've probably found more boring was my 2005 Audi A3 2.0 PD TDI SE DSG. All of the right ingredients, and competant, but they just didn't work, like they did in a Golf. But ultimately, a Mk1 Focus would show that were it went, and that ultimately was the issue IMHO. Golfs sure weren't that much better, but with VR6 power in the V64Motion...
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Last Edit: Mar 13, 2020 23:14:19 GMT by ChasR
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norm75
Part of things
Posts: 658
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Mar 14, 2020 10:26:26 GMT
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Those early V40s are solid old cars and from what I can see looked down on due to the Mitsubishi links. I spent a while looking for a Sport spec saloon but couldn't find the right one. They're looked down on as they are pretty boring chassis. A competent and capable car, but lifeless. Before I am accused off going off reviews, I learned to drive in one (alongside a Focus 1.4, Ka, an MGB and an XJ40), and then drove on semi-full time when my dad had a company car. The first one was an X-Reg Blue and Cream leather 1.8 SE (X722 KMJ, are you still alive?), the second a 2.0 SE, Green and Cream. The 1.8 was a little gutless, the 2.0 was a little spicier and added some fun. The only car I've probably found more boring was my 2005 Audi A3 2.0 PD TDI SE DSG. All of the right ingredients, and competant, but they just didn't work, like they did in a Golf. But ultimately, a Mk1 Focus would show that were it went, and that ultimately was the issue IMHO. Golfs sure weren't that much better, but with VR6 power in the V64Motion... Varies quite a bit on model and spec, engine, year. I've had 3 X40 model volvos, and currently have a v50. My first was a 96 P reg S40 1.8s saloon. This is phase 1 model and drives a little different to phase 2's that came out in 2000. They put 3 different 1.8 engines in them (Renault, Volvo and Mitsubishi) My first one had the Renault 16v lump. Not particularly powerful and quite tall gearing. 3rd gear was particularly long and once troubled a civic type r on a stretch of dual carriageway. More grippier and chuckable than my next one but light steering that wasn't that cumminicative. land rover hit the back and wrote it off so replaced it with Volvo engined 1.8 v40 xs. More like you describe as in felt more boring, sensible gearing so felt slower, softer but more compliant ride, weightier steering with a little more feel. Did look at a newish (at the time) mk4 Astra but it felt no where near the Volvo in terms of build quality, solidity and safety (neither did the brand new focus c max hire car). Part ex'd for the Impreza. Decided we needed another estate car so found the 98 t4 I mentioned earlier. great car. Yes, it's not a racing car but very much a sleeper and the capability to sit on the of a Mercedes SL. Decided I needed a newer, more fuel efficient car and very nearly bought a v70 d5, but put off by the dpf. Main dealer that I was looking at buying it from had a very mint low mileage v50 2.0d in high spec that ticked all the boxes. You may or may not know that the V50 is built on the Ford Focus platform. Although it's a decent car that does everything it's asked to do, I still wish that I kept the v40 T4.
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Mar 15, 2020 17:36:50 GMT
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As an update to this thread, I really couldn't find any vehicles that fitted the bill, so have crossed over to the darkside and bought a van!
It's not retro but does have manual windows and no air-conditioning, and being a van is pretty basic so do these facts count at all?!
I must admit having a basic vehicle is lovely. The hand-brake button was sticking, so I WD40-'d it and low-and-behold it is back working lovely again!
If it'd been one of those sh1tty parking brake buttons I'd have been stuffed.
Simple motors for the win!
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Mar 15, 2020 22:32:13 GMT
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A van? FFS, that's like asking what breed of dog you should get and you buy a donkey! Anyway, happy motoring and good luck with new wheels.
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Last Edit: Mar 15, 2020 22:54:45 GMT by Woofwoof
Still learning...still spending...still breaking things!
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